Feel free to add to or edit information in this discussion tab as necessary. Please take time to become familiar with the World Archives Keying Standards and be sure to read all instructions on the main project page. (Please note that in case of a discrepancy, project level instructions always trump general keying standards.)

Contents

Extra Keying Helps

Common Keying Errors Found by Reviewers

Questions and Answers

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Q: I have a memoriam which goes as follows: "Johns-In loving memory of Margaret...who was accidentally burned on the 23rd January, 1907..." Would I just enter 1907 in the year (not sure if this is the date of death} or do I enter the entire date? The paper publication is for January 1908.

Q: I have an engagement notice with the heading "Rickard - McIndoe". It then proceeds "Mr. and Mrs. O.E. Rickard ... and Mr. and Mrs. D. R. McIndoe ... the engagement of Anne and Ken." The other engagements listed all have indications that the bride's surname is first and the groom's is second. Do I follow in the same manner for this announcement? If not, how would I index this since there is no real indication of which names go with which person?

A: It would appear that the parents would be in the order of the children listed. If you don't feel that you can determine which surname goes with the bride/groom mark the surname fields blank (Ctrl+B). Annafechter99 (talk) 13:42, 8 September 2017 (MDT)

Q: Regarding the reviewer comment above, I don't see where we are only to key the right page publication year when an event year is missing. The project instructions read "Where the year is missing, the publication year at the top of the image should be keyed." My understanding is that could be the left page publication year, as well (although I would not make a separate section for that). Please clarify? Alphalioness72 (talk) 16:20, 2 September 2017 (MDT)

A: It was left over from the original launch of this project. I will delete it. --Katerimmer (talk) 02:57, 3 September 2017 (MDT)

Q: A death record lists the mother of the deceased as "Mrs. H. Barwise." I keyed "H. Barwise" in the father given/surname fields and "Mrs. Barwise" in the mother prefix/surname fields. I assumed this from the keying standards, where the initial belongs to the husband (however, the standards only include examples where both Mr. and Mrs. are present). Is what I keyed correct, or should it be inferred that the initial belongs to the mother as there is no mention of the father? Alphalioness72 (talk) 11:38, 4 September 2017 (MDT)

A: As far as I know, the mother would be keyed as Mrs H Barwise and the father left blank. How do we know that Mr Barwise wasn't a stepfather, for instance? Also, I understand that widows and divorcees would often be referred to by their own first name or initial rather than their deceased / ex-husband's. --Katerimmer (talk) 09:34, 5 September 2017 (MDT)

Q: How should "Bereavement Notices" be handled. They usually contain names but not dates, exp: Mrs Norma Creche wishes to thank.....on recent loss of husband, Keith"?

Q: == What do I do with nicknames? == EG When I see Norma (Babs), do I key "as seen" ie Norma (Babs) OR Norma "Babs" OR just Norma?

A: The nickname should be ignored in the example you give. It would only be keyed if the actual given name was not shown on the image. --Katerimmer (talk) 02:48, 18 September 2017 (MDT)

Q: I'm keying a newspaper from 1917. The first page only has what is called "Australia's Roll of Honor" then a list of people "killed in action, etc.". The list is just names listed by state(?). Should these be keyed?

Q: I am not sure how to key the name for the following funeral notice: "THE Funeral Cortege of Mother VICTOIRE (WALLEY), F.C.J. will leave the Richmond Convent, Vaucluse, for the Boroondara Cemetery, at 11 a.m. on WEDNESDAY, 26th inst."

Q: Project instructions state that for birth and death records with a surname but no given name, a word or phrase describing the person can be keyed in that field. To clarify, this can be done in birth, death, obituary, funeral and memorial record types? Alphalioness72 (talk) 13:53, 4 September 2017 (MDT)

Q: What is the answer about whether to key names from Australia's Roll of Honor, which lists people killed in action, etc.?

A: Yes, when notices of killed in action are official death notices, these should be keyed. News articles should not be indexed.

Q: Should notice of Memorial service be keyed as Funeral or left out?

A: Yes, The instructions say to key the names of individuals who appear in "Notices" announcing births, deaths, engagements, funerals, marriages, memoriams and obituaries. The section of the newspaper with these notices should be headed by what type of notice it is followed by the individuals underneath.

Suggestions/Additions

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